splinters

@Frallum
I even got a staff discount when preordering it. The hype for the Switch 2 still doesn't match the jaw on the floor moment I first saw Mario 64 running on a demo station in Toys R Us. The hype back then was word of mouth and magazines. N64 only had three games at launch, I bought a new one each month after Mario 64 (Pilotwings, then Shadows of the Empire) and the AAA titles rolled out slowly over many months; Blastcorps, Waverace, Mario Kart (got that free when power supplies were recalled), Goldeneye, Lylat Wars, Banjo Kazooie and so on . You certainly got your moneys worth out of games back then which you played to death.

Currys are still accepting preorders as are Argos. No need to go to Game...

@Mana_Knight
kind of a no brainer for £34 when its £80 new. You can always sell the code (Im assuming its not preinstalled) for more than the difference from the console only. Not condoning profiteering at all, but at least you can get your money back should you decide you don't want it, and save someone else a few quid, so everyone is happy

@Frallum
its just what they told me (and they happily took my £429) so please don't shoot the messenger should it not be the case, but the assistant was very confident that I would be getting an allocated unit on release day. Bear in mind Curry's have no online methods for pre-ordering. Reminds me of when I preordered the N64 from Comet back in the day, they only sold the number the store was allocated so I walked out with Mario 64 and a console a very happy bunny on n64 release day.

I wasn't going to upgrade as Ninty seemingly overlooked my 6 year NSO history and hundreds of hours gameplay, but i just casually asked while I was in Currys and bam, two minutes later I seem to have preordered a Switch 2 bundle. The assistant said the barcode they use to reduce the £9999 price to retail will only show up while there is stock. She said they ran out last week, but there was new stock allocated today so maybe take a trip to your local and try your luck?

Long time Nintendo fan who was eager to get a Switch 2, but this article echoes my own thoughts. I like to play docked and have a lot of games so a pro controller and memory card will make this around £550 to essentially play Mario Kart. Nothing else in the list of new games caught my eye and Metroid 4 will play on my OLED.
The game prices are the clincher and, with a backlog to get through, I can wait and see what bundles are released later in the year.
First Ninty console since N64 I won't have on launch, but I hope you all enjoy your new console when you get it.

As for a welcome tour you have to pay for. Have Nintendo actually seen Astro Bot Playroom?? And christ, can we just have a release date for Metroid 4!!

@Ramouz I agree, to replace my Switch OLED with two pro controllers and 512gb SD will cost me £425 (more if I bought MK separately, £150 for two pro controllers, £60 for a microsd express (and that is only 256gb). Add in a case, screen protector and that is north of £650. I just grabbed a PS5 Pro for less than that and can play a good number of the games showcased here at 4k 120fps. Sony always had the better hardware and visuals, but the Ninty systems were so much cheaper with fun titles. This kind of money doesnt feel like fun, and I still have to pay more to upgrade games to Switch 2 editions. Feels like a money pit.

I wasnt impressed by the ‘new’ games there and many are already cheaper and better looking on other consoles (not to mention PS5 Pro). £500+ is a lot to play Mario Kart with a pro controller….literally nothing else appealed to me as a long time Nintendo gamer. As for paying to upgrade my existing games, bit of a let down. First console since the N64 I am thinking of skipping…

I was so stoked for this but then I bought a PS5 Pro. Yes, I know they are totally different systems, but I already have an OLED Switch loaded with games so its gonna take some impressive graphics or some cool new innovations for me to dip into a new console. I was waiting for Metroid but can play that on the Switch 1. Will still watch with great interest but its hard to be blown away by graphics after playing the Pro (rarely play my Switch in handheld).

After this I am not even sure Nintendo will confirm the release date of the Switch 2 next week. They might pull a 'Coming in 2025' and feed details to their app which conveniently requires a nintendo account

Would be great if they actually announced stuff casually on the app to stop all the rumours and speculation...

I thought it was pretty grim. All I really wanted was a Metroid Prime 4 date and they didnt even share that (maybe its the first bit of news for their new app...). The digital game sharing was interesting, but it didnt need a Direct. The rest was very 'meh'.
Felt like a lot of resissues/remakes other than MP4.

Do Nintendo also count the copies of the game included in bundles. If so, its not quite as big a seller (as a standalone game) as it might appear.

It will sell just fine, but needs to bring something very new to the table, otherwise why not just play MK8 upscaled (probably) on your new console, not to mention the other retro titles on NSO.
Remember that many of these big selling games were from the Covid generation. A new Animal Crossing is unlikely to sell like the current version. It was lightning in a bottle releasing when millions needed entertainment at home. I expect a large chunk of MK8’s sales are also down to this.

@Jack_Goetz you think its more likely they would release them after MP4? Releasing 1, 4, 2 and 3 makes even less sense

We have Yoshi’s crafted world so I cant see any more craft based platformers and Kirby will be Robotron if anything.
My money is on the Metroid remasters and Zelda Windwaker/Twilight princess.
Metroid 4 being the Switch’s swansong AAA original title. Can’t see Ninty investing huge amounts to develop new flagship titles for an 8 year console. Hopefully, it wont end its glorious days remembered for little more than shovelware…

Not sure why anyone is surprised by this. Announcing the Switch 2 with a fanfare and forgetting the 150 million already installed user base would be disastrous for sales. Even those happy with Switch 1 would consider if there is anypoint supporting it. Sure Ninty want to sell the new console, but those millions of customers wanting new games for a console they are happy with is a big market that requires minimal marketing (unlike selling a brand new console). Not everyone is gen'd up on new hardware...many parents will be buying hardware for kids and they 'know' the Switch from friends and family etc.
More I think about it, this separate direct makes perfect sense.

@jco83 less than a week on the counter for the UK

I would be happy with MP4 and a few remasters such as Metroid 2 and 3, older Zelda titles, maybe Mario Galaxy 3 (or even a Mario 3D all stars 2 if there is anything left to remaster), Kirby Planet Robobot (although I have it on 3DS).

We never expected Mario and Luigi Brothership, or Zelda Echoes when they were announced so who knows...150 million users still want new games.
Anyone for a shadow drop for the Metroid remasters after the Direct like last time? Surely gotta get them out before MP4 so people can catch up (or dive in for the first time!)

Christ, we need some decent Switch 1 gaming news. Have you seen the latest news update for April releases??
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2025/April/Upcoming-Nintendo-Switch-games-April-2025-2782081.html

Now who said they would eat their hat......

Nintendo UK just put this up on their news page. Now it's not related to a Direct at all, but if this is all that is on the horizon for April, it certainly provides a good reason to announce something a bit more, err, exciting?: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2025/April/Upcoming-Nintendo-Switch-games-April-2025-2782081.html

I still think the Switch 2 reveal is the upscaling tech using Metroid 4 to showcase it as it's already finished. May be no interest there for owners wanting the game on Switch 1 so why not showcase new games, including MP4 week?
Switch has almost no major releases ahead, they need to give it a boost.
Natethehate and others have now chipped in so I am expecting a Direct this week.

It makes sense depending on what it is about. With the Switch 2 launch (or details of launch) imminent, it would be easy for the Switch 1 to get pushed aside and sales will decline. Not everyone wants the new Switch, but many owners will want to know it is being supported with games for the foreseeable future, especially if games will work across both systems.
Would also be an opporutnity to clear some of the neverending rumours of Switch titles to be released so they can focus completely on Switch 2 details next week.
I guess we will know by tomorrow evening either way.

I never gave this game a thought until the trailer. Might be worth getting. Not sure that last voucher will last until Metroid 4…

Maybe I found the game to spend my last Nintendo game voucher on.

Metroid 4 is not a big title, but I still think it's the showcase for new upscaling tech and seeing the title on both systems from one cart will blow us away. They have MK9 and likely a few other surprises to sell the system to 'new' owners.
Even for the new owners, imagine that huge back catalogue to plunder if those games can all be magically upscaled. That is worth a LOT more to Ninty than developing and selling brand new titles.

@Elock it's confirmed to be on Switch 1 and that it was running on that system when shown. It's also on Nintendo list of Switch 1 games in 2025.

For months I have believed upscaling of games is the Switch 2’s USP. Metroid Prime 4 will be the showcase for this wether its all hardware or some magic in the code unlocked. Look at the latest patent about upscaling, hints about Retro/MP4 holding its cards close to its chest and the whole backwards compatibility. Why use possibly the most anticipated title in Switch’s lifetime at the launch of the new console just to run on, err, an old Switch??
Unless, they show it on Switch and then, boom, the magic of that showcase title is how Switch 2 upscales it to look like a next gen game (for Ninty). Now imagine they show all their existing titles, you know the ones you already shelled out for, doing the same magic. Forget remasters you wait for, or pay again for, here is your 4K Breath of the Wild, playable as soon as you unbox your Switch 2. That alone would sell this system while new games are developed that look even better and take advantage of some new hardware tricks i.e. the mouse function. I love Ninty for their innovation and new ideas, I still dont believe this will just be a faster, bigger screen Switch.

@Grumblevolcano indeed, thats how I understand it, gold coins ending, but vouchers being phased out but with no firm date, and vouchers still valid for og Switch titles. They have always been used to buy AAA titles so I cant see why Metroid 4 would be excluded.

Love my OLED switch, but I'm revisiting my 3DS library and PS Vita with a bit of PS5. Says a lot for what I have to play on it. Zelda Echoes, Mario RPG, Paper Mario, and DK were like fast food. Quick snack but not very filling. Zelda TOTK was the last game I spent any quality time with.

@obijuankanoobie hmmm, why is it I can find no other article saying they are no longer available at the end of the month? Were NL a little misinformed about the vouchers? All other news articles say 'being phased out' and 'wont work with Switch 2 exclusives'. I read phased out as when the Switch 2 releases, but we have no idea when that is yet. Even if they were, they would still need to offer some decent titles in the future to warrant selling them with 365 days until expiry.
Worse case scenario, I will give Xenoblade a whirl, but I'm optimistic Metroid will be covered, but mine run out late June 😭

@obijuankanoobie I thought it was just gold coins being cancelled...Nintendo have said vouchers can't be used on Switch 2 exclusives, but Metroid 4 is on Switch 1.

Hoping for a Metroid 4 date so I can use my last game voucher before it expires…

@Max_the_German only if he put a patent application in himself. IP is often down to who registers it first, not the creative mind...see Monopoly for a great example.

If the Switch 2 improved the Switch in ALL aspects (including screen), I would see little point in keeping the first gen..somehow I fear there will be some compromises.
I keep one game cart in my consoles (weird old habit), otherwise my library is totally digital. Will want plenty of storage for a growing library.

My Switch is Asian (Thailand) so no doubt would throw up some issue when trading. I'm happy to keep it until the Switch 2 is a must have (AAA games). Perfectly happy with my current OLED experience and, if it plays Metroid 4 well, I have plenty to keep me going until the Switch 2 bundles/sales start appearing to tempt me.
At that point, the OLED will be a throw in a travel bag option unless Ninty limit your digital library to one machine. Also, it's hard to describe the pop of the OLED screen to someone who claims LCD is fine.

Interesting that the Vita was mentioned. That launched with a heap of cutting edge tech and a fantastic screen. Shame it wasn't supported. I still love my New 3DS XL, but it does look like a toy next to the OG Vita. No excuse for a next gen console not to have OLED when they had them a decade ago

8 million + feels optimistic at this point unless they reduce the price, create some collectibles, and bundle with some big titles. I imagine a Metroid edition themed OLED console bundle would help sell the outgoing switch, and there would still be sales of a cheaper unit after Switch 2 release.

Finally a Metroid 4 release date and more footage then they drop Metroid 2 and 3 remasters to make the wait easier. Plus, these are rumoured to have been complete for some time and there will be much less interest AFTER Metroid 4 is released. Takes a good few months to play to these through in prep for 4...

Looks the same to me….
Seriously though, is that the video or is it actually running at like 10fps?

However, let’s adjust our perspective here, this is a particularly bad name cash in, but the eShop is full of shovelware and Ninty are happy to take the money they generate. Is this really worse in quality than hobo simulator and the like?

That looks a very clumsy fit, especially near the buttons on the left Joycon. Hoping Skull and Co make a grip. Have their Neogrip on the OLED and it’s fantastic.

Did the leaks spoil the reveal? Err, how could they not...

The GameCube was the 3DS to the N64's DS, but as well as the unique form factor and improved graphics, it also had one of the best controllers ever. Some fantastic games too...there is a reason so many people ask for it to come to NSO.

@ChakraStomps good point. Many did, and still do, enjoy games on their PS4. Sony often let you have a free PS5 upgrade when you are ready to move to the new console, so Ninty are likely following that same model with their upscaling tech. I suspect Metroid will be a showcase for that

Hardware might look very much the same, but there is still time for them to show their trademark innovations in the software and OS.

@Pillowpants i suspect even in the face of perceived defeat they remain stoic. Not the sort of company you 'see' flapping about.

@Jack_Goetz a bit like the PS4 pro to PS5. If you squint, most games look exactly the same. If it werent for exclusives like Ratchet, I might not have even bothered upgrading, but the dualsense and its innovations were the tipping point. Im attracted to innovations, not ray traced graphics. Game and watch had those dual screens, NES had all those cool peripherals, SNES Mode 7, N64 a Silicon Graphics chip and new analogue controller, GC better graphics and one of the best controllers, Wii was revolutionary, as was the Game Boy, GBA. Glasses free 3D on 3DS still makes me smile, Switch was a true hybrid console which sold like hot cakes. I had a Steam Deck and Portal, they had nicer graphics and more power, but I still favoured the Switch for on the go gaming. Now we have more of what worked already with no innovations and, for that reason, i feel a little disppointed.

@Uncle_Franklin no one is rushing to buy it, its not even fully released never mind available to pre-order. Could be the end of the year before you can buy one.

Would like to see it next to the OLED, as well as the og. The video and images show it growing from an 8 year old console, its like they forgot another version came out.
I wonder what games will not be supported….I guess any that use a unique feature of the existing joycons such as the infa red or a peripheral that wont work with this? Cant see why else there wouldnt be support.